Ecumenical Social Ethics as the World Changed

This study examines the ecumenical dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland from the start of their exchange during the Cold War in 1970 up to 2008, when social ethics had become the main topic under discussion. During this time the socio-ethical dimension reflected changes in societal and ecumenical contexts as well as transformations in socio-ethical theological emphases. Over the years the Churches converged in their doctrinal reasoning on social ethics as a result of the findings of the doctrinal themes of the dialogue. The study demonstrates that historical reality and doctrinal reasoning cannot be separated in socio-ethical discussion.